Performance & Visual Arts

The Herstory Education Trust has always appreciated the importance of the performing arts in the storytelling process. It is for this reason that in the Movement project a great emphasis was put on art, music, poetry and filmmaking. In Ireland, Palestine, Slovenia, Egypt and the Czech Republic each of our partners were tasked with commissioning a musician, poet and filmmaker to capture the essence of the Movement project: We are One Humanity.

Ireland (Herstory & AkiDwA)

Film & Music

Ireland has a painful history of colonialism, racism, famine, poverty, civil war, terrorism and mass emigration. We share these experiences with the ‘New Irish’, immigrants who have joined our communities from all corners of the world. Today children are born in a new Ireland that is emerging as a peaceful, progressive, multi-cultural society - a beacon of hope and proof of humanity’s potential to heal our histories and rewrite the future.

This short film follows the journey of a little girl and her paper dove as she voyages through history and today, innocently witnessing the moments that have shaped our world, captured in powerful illuminations on women and iconic buildings. On her journey she meets awe-inspiring women’s rights and peace activists from Somalia, Kenya, Syria and Libya.

The film was made by filmmaker Peter Martin and the music was created and performed specially for the project by singer-songwriter Farah Elle.

Poetry

Poet Christiana Obaro was chosen to represent Ireland through her poetry in the Movement project, which resulted in the creation of ‘Together as One’. A mother of four children, she arrived in Ireland 8 years ago from Nigeria. Christiana is a third-year student of general nursing with University College Dublin. She is also running an online degree program with the University of the People, studying health science. Christiana is free spirited and hopeful that there is a great future for her here in Ireland and the world at large. You can listen to her recite her poem in the video below, or read it for yourself beneath that…

Together as One

Her Silent scream cut through the calm.

A doctor's dream snatched away from her world,

Grinning soldiers with bloody machetes stood witnessing her soul drain away.

Politicians smiling Clinking champagnes, a wonderful speech one has made.

A hard choice had to be made, they tell themselves, we have to protect our economy, Borders, freedom, race, religion, Way of Life.

The enemy’s blood rolls down the pavement, a naked child not yet outside suckling, collateral damage she is called or maybe pre-planned murder. I will say.

My home weeping tears, my memories burning in ashes, I brace towards the sunset, my east on fire.

Did I stretch my hand, or did you pull it, maybe I drowned. But here I am.

What do you see a rose or a thorn, a choice individually made?

Down the lonely Street I walk, a smile here, a cloud there.

I lost my name. I can’t find it no more. I was given a new name like my fathers of old. Now I am black, illegal, or poor, asylum seeker sometimes terrorists. Who am I?

Behind my eyes, I see a man touring smiling in colourful shirts. This is not his home, he came like me, but he still has his name, Mr Crane.

I browse, I see an article mentioning my given name I smile, maybe a change, then I read the comment section, Mummy!! My son called. Snap, the laptop goes shut, hiding my shame in a smile. He can't see that, he shouldn't read that.

Why? sometimes I ask, staring at the new me in my loneliness.

I guess for the same reason we love our dogs yet castrate them, Frown at a Lamb being slaughtered yet relish in dinning on one.

We hide behind a curtain of necessity to excuse a reason for evil. See, hear or do no evil they say, how almost true, if there is no evil. Stand against evil I think is more inline.

I look up to you in my puppy smile, choked by the leash of being loathed in the society.  I see the road you crossed when I walk by, the change from a friendly attitude to a professional one you put when it's my turn on the queue.  The silent wish your countenance give that I don't sit by you in the bus when I come by.

I see you, I see through you, for I am you, I was you.

The named was in my country too, I partook in the tribalism, classism, sexism, homophobia, bigotry and all. I did not stand against the evil; I gave a reason like you.

Here I am.  I am here; I cannot tell you, beware, for you could be me tomorrow, but I can tell you, stop. Be who you were supposed to be. Civilized beings must not experience something, to learn from it. That is why we can read.

Lead the world in humanity like you lead in economy, be more human, and tell us what it means to be one, for like it or not mankind looks to you.

A troll and a bully always have a good reason for what they do.

Christiana Obaro is my name, Christy my friends call me. Give me back my name, Give me a chance and you will find me no different from your sister, daughter or wife.

For thousands of years, we were kin, don't let the artificial scarcity of resources caused by a greedy few allow you to see me any different.

Even if you think me dumb, because I don't speak your tongue, or because my father did not leave me fancy buildings, farms, and streets, does that mean I should be less human in your eyes. A baby can't speak and knows nothing yet you love them as equal humans as you.

Through my window though I see Mrs Breen, her Daughter Mary is in America. Because of love she left, for man or country I know not. But Mrs Breen Smiles at me, she understands, for Mary writes. She knows the struggles, she knows the thrills.

Mary is now successful in America; through it all she came on top. Does it make a difference why we leave? Could be war, could be love, poverty, adventure: What I know is, humans move, the day we stop, the day we turn trees.

Slovenia (APIS Institute)

Film, Music & Poetry

The following video was commissioned by the APIS Institute as part of the Movement project. The film and music were made by Ali R Taha, and the poem and narration was created by Aber Al Gendy. (See below for the full text of the poem).

Poetry (Text)

Schizophrenia

I am surrounded by fear

Death

Ignorance

Legitimacy

What’s declared of it, and what’s hidden

A beauty surrounds me, like the sand of the desert

It escapes me a grain at a time

I am surrounded by femininity

Fertility

Globalization

and the trendy colours

I escape, I run, I trip over, I fall, I stop, I dream, I get tired, I get up

I fold dreamy paths up

Paths of Athens, Greece, and Andalusia

I breathe ancient oriental glory

I breathe Aphrodite

I breathe Al Qadmus and its alphabet

I am here

Not there

And the saltness of the sea here is not like the saltness of the sea there

The roses there ration their fragrance

And the fragrance here is a sea

I have loved ones there

I have loved ones here

My mother waters basil seedlings there

Here, I forgot my heart

Who am I?

Gather the fragments of the soul

And from the threads of your fear, weave a dress for the eternity

Keep the identity

Grab your compass,

and direct your sails

O longest conversations of heaven

O womb in which the prophets were formed

Palestine (Jerusalem Center for Women)

Film

For their film, the Jerusalem Center for Women commissioned filmmaker Rula Salameh who explored her own experience of migration as well as the displacement experienced by Nijmeh Al-Atshan, and many like her, due to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Music & Poetry

The Jerusalem Center for Women commissioned Othman Hussein to create a piece of poetry, which Yasser Omar used as lyrics in his piece of music which you can listen to below:

Egypt (Charisma Arts Foundation for Development)

Film

15-year old Magy Remon represents Egypt through her film titled ‘One Coin’ about two female refugees, created for the Movement project.

Poetry

Charisma Arts Foundation for Development chose two poets, Ibrahim Khalifa and Abir El Said, who were inspired by the migrant women’s stories in the creation of their poems for the project.

   توب نجاح

انا سبت عنيا في بلادي

ومشيت في السكة وحديا

ابني بكرة مستقبل ولادي

مخترتش ابقي واحدة عادية

انا اللي جريت وسبقت زمني

انا اللي عليت شرفت وطني

انا اللي وقفت في وش محني

تيجي ايه جنبي المرأة الحديدية

تدوم يا صعب مدمت هتوصلني

وترسمني توب للنجاح وتفصلني

وتسبني ذكرة في العقول خالدة

ذكرة قوية مفيش حاجة تكسرني

انا لما حلمت كنت قد حلمي

بقوة ارادتي وجهدي وعلمي

اصولي الشرقية كات فخر ليا

وانا بكتب في التاريخ اسمي

شوفي يا مصر بنتك واتباهي

لسه بنت اصول زي ماهي

لا اتغرت في يوم واتعالت

ولا قدرت تبعدها تلاهي

واديها بتحصد زرعها ليكي

وقد ما اخدت جت تديكي

وتبوس ايدك طالبة رضاكي

مانتي الام مفيش بعديكي

ساعدت يامه من المخاليق

وزرعت حب في كل طريق

لا بصت يوم علي دين ولا لون

مبداها ماشفش حد في ضيق

ودي قصة واحدة من اللي غلبوا

حيوا اللي شرفونا لما ذهبوا

هغني يا ثومة وردي عليا

مصر عادت شمسك الذهب

                        كلمات ابراهيم خليفة

.قصيدة وردة النيل

د. عبير السيد فلورنسا إيطاليا

أوجهكِ هنا أم وجهكِ هناك

ياوردةَ النيل والغرباتِ

و زهرةَ العُشبِ المنثور

بفستانِ قمرٍ

يلقي بدراهمهِ الفضيةِ نورا على الطرقات ِ

احكي لنا حكاياتِ الحربِ والهروبِ وقيدٍ حزينٍ من بقراتٍ وامسياتِ واساطير الموت على العتباتِ

!فلا مستحيل أنتِ هنا !! انت هنا الان

اخلعي وجهَكِ الباسمَ بالحزن ، يا نبتة النيل الأبدية ، وزهرة الغربة المنسية ، افتحي ابوابك الحزينة للشمس و

ضعي الروحَ هنا في المرآة

هيمي على صدر الحياة بلا خوف

قد عَبَرَتِ غيمَ ليلٍ المستحيل وللا مستحيل ، بين مصبات وشرايين ،وغيمات ظلام

!!انظري.

…انظري في المرآة

أوَجْهُكِ هنا أم وَجْهُكِ هناك ؟

ضحكاتُكِ أنتِ !! ام ضحكات نرمين و قلب العصفور ينثر

دمعاً و حبا لصغار يتيمات ،وهول الغيب وشوارع عاريات ،شتاء بارد و

ظلالٌ عابراتٌ و لوحاتٍ من حزنٍ قديم وفراق ؟؟ ومرمرية مريم العذراء دواءً يروي عطش المستحيلات ..اشربي ياوردة النيل

اشربي الامل من كف مريم ،انت هنا نرمين والحنين وصبح جديد ، وعيد وملائكة صغار كبرن

يحرسهن ملاك

!!أنت هناك في المرآة

نجمةٌ تلمعُ تبتسم في سماء حلم الطويل ،في غياب مهزوم ووجع،ويوم عرس حزين, وقيدٍ

!!كزهرة تتحدي الاشواك ..اشرقي

!قفي يا بسنت الريح والغربتين

تشبهين كلُّ عيون كحلها الطين

‘بلوحاتِ حزنٍ قديم

بيتٍ تفوح منه ذكريات عطرا و

.حدائقٍ قديمة

..واسوارٍ من طمي تعتليها أشجار الليمون على الجنبات

‘وأغنيةِ النوم ودخانِ الفرن وصوتِ الأمان يناديك

نامي ياطفلتي ،لا تخافي يابنت النيل والغربتان”

نامي ياصغيرتي في حضن الارض بين أغانى الحب

..وهالةٍ من عبيرِ الجَدَّات

نامي في عطر الحِنَّاء الجبلية والخُبزِ الفواح من الشرفات ٍ

ووشوشاتِ الجاراتِ ،اساطير الرحيل

وهديلِ الحماماتِ

يغنين للحب، للسلام

يناديك لا تخافي !لاتخافي !!لا تخافي الغربات

ننه ،،ننه ننه !! نامي”

“ولا تخشي القيد ، كم حرر القيد اسيرات

.ملحوظة ننه ننه هي اغنيه النوم للاطفال في مصر”

اتنالُ الحريةَ بقراتٌ

وتبقي القيودُ في عينيك باكياتِ ؟؟

اخلعي القيد

!فان الفجر آت ؟؟ اشرقي للصبح

يا عشبة الحب انهضي واهزمي الغُرْبات

وارتدي القوة من قلب المرآة كم حلقت في الغربة قبلك رايات .فرشن السموات

!بين غربتين اكتبي اسمك .،شمسا تصنع جنة ، وخرائط تهَدىَ التائهات

!!غني

غني يازهرة السلام

!و انثري الحب على الطرقات ،غني! لنفسك الان

“مع وَجْهِك الآخرِ السعيدِ في المرآة

اشعلي الوهج ..اشعلي الامل مصابيح ذهبية و

شطآن لنوارس تائهاتٍ و نجمات تألمن و انصهرن و وهجا في الغربات وفجرن ينابيع الحب وردا كالوشم على شفتاك

!!غني الآن وارقصي

غني لنفسكِ فخرا، في المرآة

فكي القيد واصنعي جَنَّةً أنت قصتها

إن كان خوفاً

,فكل الخوفِ قد عَبَرْتِ

..ولو خافتْ الغريبات ماكانت نرمين هناك

لو كان الخوف جبلا فقد عَبَرْتِهِ نرمين سنينا عجافا

التقطي من كف مريم الباتول

,تمراتٍ من صبرٍ

.من حبٍ جنيات

كلنا مثلك للحرية عاشقاتٍ

لا تخافي

..اعتلي الاسوار

..لو خاف القمر من الريح ، ما طالعته الأنوار

…حرةٌ انتِ !! حرةٌ انتِ كقاربٍ يُسبح بين أزرق البحر والسمواتٍ

الان وجهُك المكحل بالحب ، ووجه نرمين بين

نوارسِ الحرية في الساحات

…هنا انت ،انت هناك

حِبِّي !! حبي وجهَك المطرز بالامل واوراق الورد

اليوم والامس وفوق النيل والبحر والطرقات

فانت الارض وانت النجم والسماء ،والبهجة والغد ووردة النيل في الغربات

.هيمِي إلى أعلى ماشئت .فوق اسوار الخوف والهروب والالم

واكتبي حروفكِ كتابك بين الدروب

ما أنت الا قصةً ،نجمة تشرق وتُعاد كل يوم بوجه هنا ووجه هناك

لنساء من جنة آدم هارباتٍ ..لم يتهن على الطريق بين الغربات

انت بين

.الناجحاتٍ ، بين القوياتٍ بين الجميلاتٍ

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The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of Herstory and does not necessarily reflect the position of the Anna Lindh Foundation or the European Union. www.annalindhfoundation.org